1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catalytic combustion iron for straightening wrinkles of clothes by making use of the heat obtained by catalytic combustion of liquefied fuel gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In this kind of catalytic combustion iron, hitherto, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 62-144697, a fuel composed of flammable liquefied gas such as propane and butane is supplied from a nozzle having a control device to the catalyst to induce oxidation reaction on the catalyst surface, thereby generating combustion heat.
Removal of wrinkles of clothes which is the purpose of using the iron is realized by bringing the base heated by the combustion heat into contact with the object to be heated or the clothes.
Catalytic combustion progresses combustion reaction at a far lower temperature than flame combustion of fuel in contact with the catalyst surface. To conduct the combustion reaction on the catalyst surface to a perfection, the temperature of the catalyst itself must be maintained ever the intrinsic activation temperature.
However, when contacting with the clothes or other object to be heated to remove wrinkles of clothes, or when water is supplied into the vaporizing chamber for generating steam, if the temperature fluctuations in the combustion chamber are large, the combustion becomes unstable.
To start catalytic combustion, moreover, the catalyst temperature must be maintained at high temperature, over the intrinsic activation temperature. Accordingly, in the catalytic combustion iron, too, the catalyst is heated by heater or flame when starting to raise the catalyst temperature higher than the activation temperature, and then the fuel is supplied to the catalyst, thereby starting the catalytic combustion. In the event of heater disconnection of misfiring, however, the catalyst is not heated when starting, and if the fuel gas is supplied to the catalyst, catalytic combustion is not started. In this case, therefore, the fuel gas is directly discharged from the exhaust port which is intended to exhaust the combustion gas generated by catalytic combustion to outside of the catalytic combustion iron.
At this time, if a lighter or other flame is brought closer to the exhaust port, the outgoing fuel gas is ignited, and the flame may remain burning on the exhaust port.
It is hence a primary object of the invention to provide a catalytic combustion iron capable of solving the problems of the prior art, enhancing the stability of combustion more than in the prior art, and further excelling in safety.